Mahi Oscar Recipe

Trim and blanch asparagus

Trim woody ends from asparagus. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath. Add asparagus and cook 2–3 minutes until bright green and just tender. Immediately transfer to ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and set aside on paper towels.

Pat mahi-mahi fillets dry with paper towels. Lightly season both sides with 1 tsp of the salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and paprika. Dust both sides very lightly with the tablespoon of flour, shaking off excess.

Heat a large nonstick or stainless skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tbs olive oil. When oil shimmers, add the fillets (work in batches if needed). Sear undisturbed 3–4 minutes on the first side until golden brown and edges are opaque. Flip carefully and cook 2–3 minutes more until fish flakes easily and internal temperature reaches 130–140°F (54–60°C) depending on preferred doneness. Transfer fish to a warm plate and tent with foil.

Add 1 tbs butter to the skillet and swirl to melt, scraping any browned bits. Spoon the butter over the cooked fillets for extra flavor.

If using imitation crab, shred it into bite-size pieces. If using lump crab meat, check for shells and gently break up large lumps. Season the crab lightly with remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.

Warm a small nonstick pan over medium heat with 1 tbs butter. Add the shredded crab and sauté just until heated through, about 1–2 minutes — do not overcook. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Set up a double boiler: simmer a small pot of water and place a heatproof bowl over it (bowl bottom should not touch water). Off direct heat, whisk the 3 egg yolks with 1.5 tbs lemon juice and 1/2 tsp Dijon until slightly thickened.

Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly. Slowly stream in the 6 tbs melted butter in a thin steady pour, whisking until the sauce is thick, glossy and coats the back of a spoon. If it becomes too thick, whisk in up to 1 tsp hot water to loosen. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp white pepper or a pinch of cayenne. Keep warm (off the heat) until serving.

If the sauce begins to separate or scramble, remove from heat and whisk vigorously with a teaspoon of warm water, or start with a fresh yolk in a bowl and temper with a little of the broken sauce, then combine.

Place two asparagus spears across each plated mahi fillet. Top each fillet with an even portion of the warm crab mixture (about 1/4 cup each).

Spoon 2–3 tbs of warm hollandaise sauce over the crab on each fillet. Dot with remaining butter (optional) for shine and richness.

Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.